meningitis to hiv

Mar 20, 2006

Dear Dr. Horwath:
My question is the relation with HIV and Meningitis. I had a fiance who passed 2 years ago from hiv/aids. the truth about how shw contracted the virus was never clearly given other than she had contracted meningitis 5 years earlier. I know the information will not bring her back I am merely tyring to understand if the meningitis was the cause by way if transplant as i was told or if the meningitis was a further sympton of a already existing problem.

Response from Dr. Horwath

Cryptococcal meningitis is a specific type of fungal meningitis that is common in people with AIDS, and is caused by the weakening of the immune systems by HIV. HIV also makes people more susceptible to a variety of other infections, including bacterial and viral infections, which may also cause meningitis.

I don't know how your fiance contracted the virus, but the meningitis was probably a complication of her illness.

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